Trouble lights are used by workmen to illuminate work spaces such as engine compartments, vehicle undercarriages, furnace rooms, attics, etc. which are difficult to illuminate adequately with workshop ceiling lights. In a typical trouble light, a light bulb is enclosed within a protective metal cage. The light bulb and cage are mounted atop a handle. A power cord extends from the base of the handle. A hook mounted atop the cage is used to hang the trouble light at a convenient spot so that the bulb will illuminate a desired portion of the work space. A trouble light must be sufficiently rugged to withstand dirty work environments, plus a good deal of jarring, dropping and knocking about.
The prior art has evolved a variety of trouble light positioning mechanisms which improve the workman's ability to direct the light to a desired portion of the work space. The present invention further improves upon this important aspect of the operation of a trouble light.